1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tools and more particularly pertains to a new plumbing tool for tightening the drain assembly of a shower.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of tools is known in the prior art. More specifically, tools heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,698; U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,077; U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,003; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 382,788; U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,672; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,583.
After installing a shower, a plumber fills the shower with water to check for leaks. If a leak is found between the drain and the drain pipe, the caulking sealing ring at the union of the drain and the drain pipe must be tightened to stop the leak by tightening a brass ring which in turn tightens the caulking ring to seal the leak. This is very difficult (and time consuming) to do with traditional plumbing tools because the tool must extend past the grating of the drain without disassembling the shower or having to cut through the floor of the shower.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new plumbing tool. The inventive device includes a shaft having opposite proximal and distal ends and a tubular first bell reducer having open proximal and distal ends. The distal end of the shaft is inserted into the proximal end of the first bell reducer. A tubular second bell reducer is provided having open proximal and distal ends. The distal end of the first bell reducer is inserted into the proximal end of the second bell reducer. The distal end of the second bell reducer has therearound a plurality of spaced apart notches to define a plurality of spaced apart teeth around the distal end of the second bell reducer.
In these respects, the plumbing tool according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of tightening the drain assembly of a shower.